right time to take the shot

[ryharris1983]

when is the right time? You obviously want to wait until he puts his head up,right? What about if he's just inside your range, should you wait to see if he'll come in a little closer?

[FLboy77]

When ever you feel comfortable with the shot to make a clean humaine kill. Ive shot them struting before and they died just as quick as if they had there head up. It all depends on your limits IMO.

[Mr. Longbeard]

As soon as I can see his head and neck!!!I don't play around with them

[Branson]

In my few years of hunting, one thing that I learned (took me long enough too) and has stuck with me is to take the first available shot that you're comfortable with. Too much can happen when you're waiting on that one perfect shot. That said, it shouldn't be too hard to get the turkey to raise his head a bit.

[Hung Up]

I shoot them as soon as they come into range. I like to put markers out like a piece of a branch or something at say 40 yards and when the gobbler reachs that mark if everything is good I'm shooting. Remember turkeys aren't curious at all and when something spooks them they aregone.

[r33h]

Pretty much as soon as you can. Turkeys are known for leaving an area really quickly if they don't feel comfortable. I typically like to take a shot anywhere between the 25 and 35 yard range. At this range, the bird isn't too close where you might possibly miss (due to such a tight pattern with turkey chokes), and the bird isn't too far that you might wound or miss the bird. If the bird isn't sticking his head up for you, you can get him to stop and stick his head up by making a quick sound such as "hey!" or a grunt sound. The sound doesn't need to be very loud at all and as soon as he raises his head, let him have it. The nice thing about making sure his head is up is that typically the gobbler will lower his fan down when he sticks his head up in the air. This is a good thing because if you shoot the gobbler and he turns out to be a wall-mounter, your chances of putting holes in the gobblers fan decreases.

[SwampCollie]

Whenever you are comfortable. Don't rush it, but don't take all morning either. You need to make sure you have a good shot at the head and neck. I try not to shoot them coming on or going away too much, as it can lead to putting an excessive number of shot in the breast... which is hard on the teeth. I like the quartering to, and broadside angle if I can get it. I usually let them come as close as they will. I like seeing how close they will come. I've been blessed to take a lot of turkeys in my life... and honestly don't usually care if I shoot one or not... as long as they come within 40 yards... to me thats a "dead turkey" its sort of like catch and release fishing. However, you can't do it too often, because after a while, turkeys will stop coming to calls if they don't find a hen there... or espeically if they get spooked. If a bird starts to get nervous and puts his head up... or especially if he putts... then he is going to wear it.

[MrGobbler43]

Dont mess around he gives you a clean kill shot take it cause if ya wait he's GONE!!

MrGobbler

[Arrowmaster]

I say the first available oportunity. If he presents himself Im shooting him. I learned a lesson on this one year. I had a satilite bird at 10 yards and had a strutter following a hen at 50 yards. Instead of shooting the satilite bird I waited for the strutter. Wrong choice. I couldnt get the strutter out of strut to give me a good clean shot. I did everything trying to get the strutter. I even yelled at him and he faced me in full strut so I said what the heck and shot. Well he flew off. I wont let that happen again. I'll take the satilite bird next time...

[Bobgobble2]

Soon as he's in your guns/shooters range.Awful lot of turkeys are crippled by shots out of range....[:'(](yes I'm boneheadedly guilty)Like Swampcollie nowadaysI let em come inside 40 and its history!